CITY CHERRYPICK LOAN STAR GAVIN AS ALLEN REPLACEMENT CAPTION KICKER: Blah de blah de blah

De blah de blah de blah de blah de blah Midfielder Kilkenny has joined Potters on season-long loan from Bournemouth

Stoke CITY

STOKE City have confirmed the signing of Bournemouth midfielder Gavin Kilkenny on a season long loan.

The 22-year-old was part of the Cherries’ squad who earned promotion back to the Premier League last season.

He played a total of 18 times in all competitions but found his game time limited in the secondhalf of the campaign.

He arrives at the bet365 Stadium on the lookout for more game time and becomes the fifth new arrival of the summer following the signings of Aden Flint, Josh

Laurent, Harry Clarke and Liam Mccarron.

Kilkenny’s arrival comes just days after it was confirmed that midfielder Joe Allen has left the club at the end of his contract.

The 32-yearold, pictured right, had held talks about extending his stay at Stoke, but is now a free agent.

Following the signing of Kilkenny, Potters’ first team coach Rory Delap has said that he has the midfielder has the qualities to replace the outgoing Allen.

“He’s a very good player,” Delap told the club’s official website. “He builds the game and that’s something we felt we needed with Joe Allen having left the club, and hopefully he’ll be a really good addition and help us play the way we want to play. “He’s highly motivated, he wants to play and doesn’t want to sit on the bench and

be a bit part player. “That’s what we’ve targeted this season – players that are motivated to play, improve and make us a better team.”

The coach also revealed that Kilkenny has been on the club’s radar for some time, adding: “We’ve been monitoring Gavin for a few years and we’ve taken the opportunity to bring him in.”

Kilkenny could make his debut when Stoke take on Cork City in a friendly in Ireland next weekend.